The family of a black man shot multiple times by police during a confrontation at a Louisiana convenience store called for an independent investigation and officials to resign in the wake of cellphone video showing the chilling incident.

His death has sparked protests against police brutality in Baton Rouge, and family members and the local NAACP branch called for Louisiana State Police to take over the review from the Baton Rouge Police Department.

“I’m calling on anybody in this city with a backbone to go arrest those two officers,” Mike McClanahan, of the local NAACP, said at a news conference Wednesday.

The Baton Rouge Police Department said uniformed officers responded to a call early Tuesday about a black male in a red shirt who was selling CDs and had reportedly threatened the caller with a gun.

Officers “made contact” with Sterling in the parking lot of the Triple S Food Mart and an altercation ensued, police said in a statement.

“Sterling was shot during the altercation and died at the scene,” the statement said.

Two officers have been placed on administration leave “per standard procedure,” it added, saying the investigation was ongoing.

Sterling died from multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and back, according to East Baton Rouge Coroner Dr. William Clark. He would not immediately confirm reports that Sterling was shot seven times.

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About SouthernGirl2

A Native Texan who adores baby kittens, loves horses, rodeos, pomegranates, & collect Eagles.
Enjoys politics, games shows, & dancing to all types of music. Loves discussing and learning about different cultures.
A Phi Theta Kappa lifetime member with a passion for Social & Civil Justice.

Rikyrah, my heart is in pain and turmoil… such injustice… such horror… I am praying

What will it take for our nation to understand that Black families face the potential of such terrible random killings??! It could come any time… everyone hoping and praying it won’t happen to them or their loved ones….. so wrong so unfair so dangerous so frightening!

I am in deep pain for Alton’s family. It is unimaginable how much pain they are going through, how much pain the Black community in Baton Rouge is experiencing, and how much pain our fellow Black citizens are feeling.

How can our society go on “with business as usual” , “politics as usual” , and so many politicians and office holders being “silent as usual” ?!

I am in shock and numbing aching after watching the horrific second video. Alton Sterling deserves justice. Oh, precious Lord take his hand and enfold him with Your Love and Comfort forever and ever.

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana — New cellphone video provided to The Daily Beast shows Alton Sterling was not holding a gun in his hand when police shot and killed him.

Sterling’s death at the hands of two white officers has triggered protests in Baton Rouge and unleashed a national outcry, leading to calls by both the NAACP and members of Congress for a federal investigation, which the Justice Department has begun.

On Tuesday night, a 911 caller said a man at the store was threatening patrons with a gun. Officers Blane Salamoni and Howie Lake responded to the call from the Triple S Food Mart and encountered Sterling in the parking lot. Store owner Abduallah Muflahi told The Daily Beast that Sterling was not the person who was causing trouble and was a welcome presence at the store for years where he sold CDs from the parking lot.

Yet after tackling Sterling and bringing him to the ground, one of the officers yelled, “He’s got a gun!”

The new video, provided by Muflahi, does not appear to support the claim that Sterling’s supposed gun represented an active threat to the officers. Instead, it shows Sterling being repeatedly shot after he was pinned on the ground.

The Daily Beast is publishing this video in its entirety—despite its graphic nature—because it shows what happened before, during, and after the controversial killing of Sterling. A previous video only showed him being tackled and the first of at least four gunshots.

Although Sterling was pinned down, one of the officers fired two gunshots into Sterling’s chest. A few seconds later, at least three more shots were fired. One officer is seen removing an object—it’s unclear what, exactly—from Sterling’s right pants pocket.

Sterling was still alive at this moment, moving his left arm and hand towards his face. By the time paramedics arrived, he was dead.

Police said at a Wednesday press conference they would not confirm or deny a weapon was recovered from Sterling.

The officers have been placed on paid administrative leave while the shooting is investigated. District Attorney Hillar C. Moore III told reporters, “The officers feel they were completely justified.”

It is devastating to see Alton’s son agony and grief over losing his dad.

…so many hearts exhausted with pain across the country.

This injustice has to stop.

Why are there so many hearts of stone filled with false fear, lies, hate, and racism? When will they ever learn empathy, kindness, caring. When will they realize that a patriot is one who demands justice and equality and freedom for all?

Abdullah Muflahi, the shop’s owner, said he witnessed the event and offered his account to various local outlets.

“[Police] were really aggressive with him from the start,” Muflahi told the Advocate.

Muflahi said that police shot Sterling with a stun gun — as the video suggested — but that the suspect remained standing. Police then tackled him and pinned him down. One yelled “gun,” then one fired four to six shots into Sterling.

Muflahi told the Advocate, “His hand was nowhere [near] his pocket,” and that Sterling was not holding a weapon.

Then, Muflahi said that the officer who fired the shots began cursing and that both seemed to be “freaking out.”

Finally, the store owner said he heard one of the officers say, “Just leave him.”

Muflahi said he saw police retrieve a gun from Sterling’s pocket after the shooting.

“God bless his soul. It could’ve, it could have, it could have been handled differently

This is why body cameras are not the answer that so many politicians and others like to think. They are always going to be “not working” or “have fallen off” when someone is murdered or maimed or assaulted by a cop. And, of course, the cops are going to be looking for surveillance cameras and confiscating footage.

Okay, AG Loretta Lynch, tell us again about all that cop training that is going to fix this.

Yeah, me too. And this is forever, it cannot be undone, it cannot be made right for that child. It is such a terrible, helpless feeling we have as observers every time we witness more and more of this horror. It has a cumulative effect, I am convinced of that.

These state sanctioned lynchings have very long tentacles. They bring innocent lives to an abrupt and brutal end, they devastate families, and eventually they destroy us too, they destroy anyone who cares.

Another state sanctioned lynching, another devastated black family, more children to grow up without a dad, more friends to recall yet another brutal and gruesome death of someone they cared about, and another epic failure for “equality” before the law.

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Even though 3Chics Politico is written and curated by three women: Ametia, Rikyrah, and SouthernGirl2, I must nominate this as one of the most engaging blogs I've found. Devoted to politics and culture, these three shine a light on contemporary life with humor and spirit.